The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that it would ‘take the time to get right’ Wales’s post Brexit land management policies, and has emphasised the need to thoroughly investigate the implications of all proposals and scenarios.
Speaking at a farming conference in Birmingham earlier today (February 20), Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said the transition period to a new system “...must be a real one, it must be well planned and it must take place over a number of years. There is too much at stake economically, socially and environmentally to not get this right.”
Responding to her comments, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “Within days of the June 2016 EU referendum we had issued a call for a realistic post-Brexit transition period for farming, and for future policies to be developed slowly and investigated thoroughly, so the Cabinet Secretaries comments are naturally welcome.”
During her speech, Mrs Griffiths highlighted the need for clarity over UK funding arrangements for Wales, and that Wales should not lose a penny in rural funding, echoing calls made earlier in the day by the FUW President.
The Cabinet Secretary also gave assurances that she would “...fight to protect funding returning to Wales from going elsewhere,” adding “We must continue this vital support because I cannot think of another part of Welsh society which makes such a multi-faceted contribution to our nation. Farming is a vital part of the rural economy. It is the social anchor of our rural communities, and farmers are the custodians of the land that underpins our natural environment.”
Mr Roberts said: “We welcome the commitment to fight to maintain Welsh rural funding, and the recognition of the key role agriculture plays in delivering so much for Wales - comments which very much echo those made by First Minister Carwyn Jones in recent weeks when he talked of the need for a funding pot solely for agriculture and for it to be managed differently.
“It is for these reasons that we need to take our time and thoroughly examine the likely impacts of possible scenarios and options.”
During the speech, the Cabinet Secretary announced five core principles that underpinned her vision for a new Welsh land management policy, namely
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Keeping farmers on the land. Welsh land must be managed by those who know it
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Ensuring Wales’ agricultural sector can be prosperous and resilient in a post-Brexit future, whatever that may be
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The new policy should centre on Welsh land delivering public goods for all the people of Wales.
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The future system of support should be accessible to all. That means giving farmers the opportunity to continue to make a living from the land.
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Wales must not turn its back on food production. Where sustainable production is viable, Wales must help its farmers compete in a global marketplace.
“We welcome these objectives - as the Cabinet Secretary has highlighted, we already deliver a broad range of public benefits, of which food is just one.
“We need to make the most of the opportunities we have to improve what we already do, while also ensuring tools are in place to cater for possible adverse impacts of Brexit,” he said.
Mr Roberts added that: “The FUW has valued and seen the fruits of our recent work with the Cabinet Secretary and her wider team and we are pleased to see such significant progress. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the WG as we seek to protect the future of family farming in Wales.”